Unit 116. As (As I walked along the street... / As I was hungry ...)

As = at the same time asYou can use as when two things happen at the same time:

• We all waved goodbye to Liz as she drove away. (We waved and she drove away at the same time)• I watched her as she opened the letter.•As I walked along the street, I looked in the shop windows.• Can you turn off the light as you go out, please?Or you can say that something happened as you were doing something else (in the middle of doing something else):• Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus.• We met Paul as we were leaving the hotel.For the past continuous (was getting / were going etc.), see Unit 6.You can also use just as (= exactly at that moment):•Just as I sat down, the phone rang.• I had to leave just as the conversation was getting interesting.We also use as when two things happen together in a longer period of time:

•As the day went on, the weather got worse.

• I began to enjoy the job more as I got used to it.

Compare as and when:

We use as only if two things happen at the same time.• As we walked home, we talked about what we would have for dinner. (= at the same time)

Use when (not as) if one thing happens after another.• When we got home, we started cooking the dinner.(not As we got home)

As = becauseAs also means 'because':• As I was hungry, I decided to find somewhere to eat. (= because I was hungry)• As it was a public holiday last Thursday, most of the shops were shut. (= because it was a public holiday)• As we have plenty of time before our flight, let's go and have a coffee.• Yesterday we watched television all evening as we didn't have anything better to do.•As I don't often watch television any more, I've decided to give my TV set to a friend of mine.You can also use since in this way:•Since we have plenty of time, let's go and have a coffee.Compare as and when:

• I couldn't contact David as he was away on holiday and he doesn't have a mobile phone. (= because he was away)

• David's passport was stolen when he was away on holiday. (= during the time he was away)

• As they lived near us, we used to see them quite often. (= because they lived near us)

• When they lived near us, we used to see them quite often.
(= at the time they lived near us)

1 it was a public holiday2 it was a nice day3 we didn't want to wake anybody up4 the door was open5 none of us had a watch

I went inwe came in very quietlymost of the shops were shutwe didn't know what time it waswe went for a walk by the sea

1 As it was a public holiday, most of the shops were shut. 2 ______________________________________________________3 ______________________________________________________ 4 ______________________________________________________ 5 ______________________________________________________

1 As they live near me, I see them quite often. because 2 Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus. at the same time as 3 As I was tired, I went to bed early. __________________4 Unfortunately, as I was parking the car, I hit the car behind. __________________5 As we climbed the hill, we got more and more tired. __________________6 We decided to go out to eat as we had no food at home. __________________7 As we don't use the car very often, we've decided to sell it. __________________

1 Julia got married as she was 22. 2 As the day went on, the weather got worse. 3 He dropped the glass as he was taking it out of the cupboard. 4 My camera was stolen as I was asleep on the beach. 5 As I left school, I went to work in a shop. 6 The train slowed down as it approached the station. 7 I used to live near the sea as I was a child.

When she was 22 OK __________________________________________________________________________________________

1 I saw you as _________________________2 It started to rain just as _________________________3 As I didn't have enough money for a taxi, _________________________4 Just as I took the photograph, _________________________